Pashinyan Admits Long-Hidden Entry Ban For Russian Armenians Simonyan, Gabrelianov

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday admitted the long-hidden fact that Sputnik and RT Editor-In-Chief Margarita Simonyan and founder of the Russian News Media holding Aram Gabrelianov, both Russian Armenians, had been banned from entering Armenia since last year

YEREVAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2023) Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday admitted the long-hidden fact that Sputnik and RT Editor-In-Chief Margarita Simonyan and founder of the Russian news Media holding Aram Gabrelianov, both Russian Armenians, had been banned from entering Armenia since last year.

In March 2022, Sputnik Armenia reported, citing sources, that Gabrelianov had been banned from entering Armenia and placed on the list of undesirable persons. In October, Simonyan said that she and Russian lawmaker Konstantin Zatulin had also been banned from entering the country. However, the Armenian authorities had long avoided answering direct questions about the existence of such a ban.

"Armenia is a sovereign state and has the right to expect respect for itself, to apply sovereign tools to suppress encroachments against its interests ... Respect must be shown, including for the authorities elected by the people," the Armenian prime minister said, when asked about the ban during a press conference.

Later in the day, Simonyan harshly responded to Pashinyan's statement on Telegram, calling him "a betrayer of the Armenian people." She specified that he "sold and betrayed all Armenian interests that he could betray and sell, and will sell and betray those that he has not yet (sold)," because he "hates Russia and deceives (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

She also condemned the wording of the reasons for the entry ban, saying that "disrespect has yet to be earned."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in March that Moscow had a negative attitude towards the ban. Armenia is a great friend, ally and strategic partner of Russia, and the level and nature of their bilateral relations sets an obligation to protect bilateral relations from such situations, Peskov added.